Defoe and Adebayor sink Albion

26 November 2011 05:46

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Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor scored late goals to hand Tottenham a fifth straight Premier League victory as they boosted their Champions League ambitions with a 3-1 win at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

Youssouf Mulumbu had headed the Baggies deservedly in front only for Adebayor to swiftly level matters when he tapped in after seeing his initial penalty saved.

An entertaining clash appeared to be heading for a draw until Defoe, whom manager Harry Redknapp insisted in the build-up to the match is not for sale, lashed home a low shot from the edge of the area in the 81st minute.

Adebayor then doubled his tally in injury-time after converting Gareth Bale's cross to ensure Spurs ended a run of five visits to the Hawthorns without a victory.

Sandro and Defoe replaced Luka Modric and Rafael Van der Vaart in Redknapp's starting line-up, while Roy Hodgson named the same team which defeated Bolton last weekend.

It was a nervous start from the Baggies goalkeeper Ben Foster, who spilt what appeared a routine low strike from Sandro for a corner in the sixth minute.

Yet four minutes later the home team were ahead following a superbly-worked passing move.

James Morrison slid the ball deep into the right channel Zoltan Gera, who slid to reach the ball before Benoit Assou-Ekotto.

He rolled the ball back to Steven Reid and his first-time cross was glanced low into the bottom-left corner beyond Brad Friedel by Mulumbu.

However, their early elation was offset by an injury to Gera which forced him off in the 21st minute after his studs appeared to get caught in the turf.

Within four minutes Spurs were level when Nicky Shorey's foul on Aaron Lennon resulted in a penalty and Adeybayor bundled home at the second attempt after seeing his initial effort saved.

West Brom finished the half the stronger and threatened moments before half-time when Mulumbu weaved his way through the Tottenham defence only to shoot straight at Friedel.

Spurs improved upon resumption and six minutes after the restart and Adebayor was denied heroically by Foster from close range following good work by Scott Parker.

The previously-quiet Defoe sprang into life when dribbled through but his effort was cleared off the line by Reid.

Gareth McAuley showed Shorey how it should be done on the hour-mark with an inch-perfect tackle on Lennon in full flight inside the box.

The Baggies continued to look dangerous on the counter-attack and had another penalty appeal waved away when Morrison fell inside the box as he was challenged for possession by Younes Kaboul.

They then spurned a glorious opportunity in the 77th minute when Morrison cut back to the unmarked Chris Brunt only for the Northern Irishman to fail to keep his shot down.

It proved a costly miss as four minutes later Adebayor's flick on the half-way line sent Defoe away and he eventually drove a stinging low shot inside the left post.

With the home team caught upfield pushing for an equaliser, Adebayor then made certain in injury-time when Kaboul's clearance found Bale and he squared to leave the Togo international with a simple finish.